Semiconductors are widely used for integrated circuits for electronic applications, including radios, televisions and personal computing devices, as examples. Such integrated circuits typically use multiple transistors fabricated in single crystal silicon. It is common for there to be millions of semiconductor devices on a single semiconductor product. Many integrated circuits now include multiple levels of metallization for interconnections.
The semiconductor industry continuously strives to decrease the size of the semiconductor devices located on integrated circuits. Miniaturization is generally needed to accommodate the increasing density of circuits necessary for today's semiconductor products. In the past, the material typically used to isolate conductive leads from each other has been silicon dioxide; however, the dielectric constant (k) of silicon dioxide deposited by chemical vapor deposition is on the order of 4.1 to 4.2. The dielectric constant is based on a scale where 1.0 represents the dielectric constant of a vacuum. Silicon dioxide provides a minimal thermal expansion coefficient mismatch with conductive layer materials, and is a strong material.
Low-k materials are now being used for the insulating material separating conductive layers and metal leads of semiconductor devices in order to reduce the capacitive coupling between interconnect lines. Widely used low-k materials comprise organic spin-on materials, which must be heated to remove the liquid, or solvent. Often these low-k materials have a high thermal expansion coefficient compared to metals and silicon dioxide.
Semiconductor wafers are frequently temperature-cycled during fabrication due to the nature of the manufacturing process. When a device comprises multiple metallization and dielectric layers, the solvent-removing heating step for the low-dielectric constant material layers must be repeated numerous times (e.g., each layer must be cured), which can be problematic, especially for the lower layers of the device. The mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients of metal leads and low-k dielectric layers causes thermo-mechanical stress, leading to increased resistances, delaminations, electrical intermittencies and opens, resulting in reduced yields.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show prior art structures 100 and 160 for prior methods of fabricating multi-layer interconnects of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer. FIG. 1 shows a single damascene approach and FIG. 2 shows a dual damascene approach.
Referring first to the structure 100 shown in FIG. 1, a substrate 102 is provided, typically comprising silicon oxide over single-crystal silicon. The substrate 102 may include other conductive layers or other semiconductor elements, e.g., transistors, diodes, etc. Compound semiconductors such as GaAs, InP, Si/Ge, SiC are often used in place of silicon.
A first dielectric layer 104 is deposited over the substrate 102. In the prior art structure described herein, dielectric 104 comprises a low-dielectric constant material, having a dielectric constant k of 3.6 or less, for example. Low-k dielectric material 104 comprises an organic spin-on material such as a polyimide or others. Trademarks for such materials include Dow Chemical Corporation's SiLK™ and AlliedSignal Inc.'s Flare™ for example. After spinning on low-k dielectric 104, the wafer 100 is exposed to a heating step (e.g., baked) to remove the solvents and cure the dielectric material. Temperatures of the heating step may reach 400 degrees C., for example. Other low-k dielectrics can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition.
Dielectric material 104 is patterned and etched, and conductive lines 108 are formed. An optional conductive liner 106 may be deposited prior to formation of conductive lines 108. Conductive liner 106 typically comprises Ta, TaN, WN, TiN, etc., and conductive lines 108 may comprise conductive materials such as aluminum, copper, other metals, or combinations thereof, for example.
An optional dielectric cap layer 110 comprising SiN, for example, is deposited over conductive lines 108 and low-k dielectric 104. A second layer of dielectric material 112 is deposited over conductive lines 108. Second dielectric layer 112 comprises a low-k material and thus must be baked at up to 400° C. to remove solvents. Dielectric layer 112 is patterned, e.g., with a mask, and via openings are formed using an etch process step, preferably an anisotropic etch process which is substantially directed towards the perpendicular surface of the wafer. A small portion of the tops of conductive lines 108 is typically etched during the anisotropic etch process, as shown by the recess at 122.
The via openings are filled with a metallic material, preferably the same as the material used for the conductive lines 108, for example, to form vias 116. Vias 116 are typically substantially cylindrical, and may have a slightly greater diameter at the tops than at the bottoms due to the via opening etch process not being entirely perpendicular to the wafer 100 surface.
A third dielectric layer 114 comprising a low-k dielectric material, for example, is deposited over vias 116, heated to remove the solvents, patterned and etched. Conductive lines 120 are formed over vias 116 to provide a connection to conductive lines 108 in the underlying first dielectric layer 104. An optional conductive liner 118 may be deposited prior to the formation of conductive lines 120. Conductive lines 120 preferably comprise a metal material the same as conductive lines 108, for example. Many other conductive layers may be deposited in this manner. It is not uncommon to have up to six conductive layers within a semiconductor structure.
FIG. 2 shows generally at 160 a prior art dual damascene approach of forming multi-layer interconnects of an integrated circuit. A substrate 102 is provided, and a first dielectric layer 104 is deposited over the substrate 102. Dielectric material 104 may comprise a low-k dielectric. Dielectric material 104 is patterned and etched, and conductive lines 108 are formed. An optional conductive liner 106 may be deposited prior to formation of conductive lines 108.
An optional dielectric cap layer 110 is deposited over conductive lines 108 and low-k dielectric 104. A second layer of dielectric material 162 is deposited over conductive lines 108. In a dual damascene approach, second dielectric layer 162 is thicker than in a single damascene approach, because both via 170 and metal line 168 are formed within the second dielectric layer 162. Alternatively, an etch stop material 171 may be deposited near the interface of the via 170 and metal line 168, as shown in phantom.
Dielectric layer 162 is patterned and etched, generally in two separate steps to form via 170 holes and trenches for metal lines 168. The via 170 hole may be formed first, followed by the formation of metal line 168 trench, or vice versa. A liner 164 may be deposited over the via hole and the metal line trench. The via openings and metal line trench are filled with a metallic material, preferably the same as the material used for the conductive lines 108, for example, to form vias 170 and metal lines 168.